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Topic: Ichang Papeda search. (Read 5329 times)

Crazy question: everyone has p. Trifoliata, but who has Ichang papeda (citrus ichangensis)? I know the fruit is supposed to be useless, but what if someone wants a big ol' citrus tree with big ol' fruit on it where it gets down to zero degrees? Who is growing it, and who is selling it or the seeds? Is it any good as a rootstock?

I figured people don't have it because the fruit is supposed to be nasty. But poncyrus trifoliata is nasty and people grow it. I think I read somewhere that trifoliata serves as a better rootstock and is more cold hardy than ichangensis.

Hi everyoneI am new to this forum. I have an ichangensis IVIA and Ilya is right when he says the fruit is quite edible (that is compared to other ichangensis cultivars or Poncirus). My plant is still small and the fruit might become bigger as the tree grows larger. There was not much pulp in the fruits I have harvested so far but there is , in contrast to other ichangensis cultivars. The juice is usable just like lemon juice. Another plus is the fact that they ripen even in our cool summers.I know reports from Germany of trees surviving down to -18C but I don't know about the IVIA. I haven't tested mine yet since I want to let it grow a bit larger first.

If in the future it should contain more seeds, I will be happy to share them. cheers

Florian, so wonderful to read your post! Thanks for the pic too! Would be nice to have some of those IVIA seeds on this continent, as long as customs and agricultural laws don't prohibit it. Sounds like you all have a great species there that those of us in colder climates can appreciate. Welcome to the forum!

Thanks for the warm welcome. It would be a pity if your customs didn't allow to send citrus seeds (since I understand they can't carry viruses, can they?). We shall see.. We do indeed have some interesting citrus varieties here but so do you. For example I have never seen a Clemyuz 2-2 for sale here (let alone a dekopon). Also, the Japanese have some good stuff which nobody seems to be able to get their hands on like the seedless Yuzus or the real Yuko..

I have Ichang papeda, or at least a variant of it. Mine has done well and has not been bothered by the couple of events of single digit weather we've experienced over the last 10 or so years. It has survived a lot of cold along with a few other trusty hardy varieties I have planted out in the yard here in VA. We got hit pretty hard going on three years ago and my trees are starting to come back around. I grafted my Ichang papeda on flying dragon so it isn't very big. It has pretty leaves similar to kaffir lime. My papeda fruit are small and all virtually seedless or have aborted seeds. I feel that my Ichang lemon tree is prettier though and the larger fruit is more useful. It has survived along side the papeda without much issue. If you don't mind the trifoliate leaves Swingle citrumelo will give you a big 'ol tree full of big 'ol citrus fruit too.

Hi eyeckr. Good to hear from you again. I have several Ichang lemon trees that I grew fro seeds from a lemon you gave me several years ago at the SE citrus expo in Myrtle Beach. Several in ground are 5 ft tall or more and were protected in a high tunnel for the past few years. They look pretty rough this year ironically enough with the warm winter we had. Totally defoliated with some dead branches. I loved the fruit, but at this point doubt that it will be cold hardy enough here when/if they get to big to cover. Don't think I'll be able to cover them next winter. I had a swingle citrumelo but it died in the polar vortex a few years ago. I have some dunsta citrumelo trees, again from one of your fruits, that have survived the past two winters in ground with no protection at all with some leaves still hanging on. I just figured Ichang papeda would be even more hardy than citranges, similar to PT. From what I've read, papeda is supposed to be full of seeds, no?

Sorry to hear about losing your Swingle. I believe Ichang Papeda is supposed to have seeds but mine does not. If you never got a (Clem x Tri) x Clem or Tai Tri hybrid from me it may be a couple of good ones for you to try there. They both have handled extended freezing and low temps very well and fruit just about every year.

So, this year I left the fruit on my ichangensis IVIA until it became soft because on my recent trip (december 22) to Eisenhut I saw their mother plant and it was bearing a few fruit that were ginormous, at least compared to mine:

The fruit was already post maturity and very soft. I had read before that this cultivar had sweetish rind (!). The nursery owner wouldn't let me have the plant (since it was the mother plant) so I took a nibble when he wasn't looking .Well, the rind was sweet indeed!

I thought perhaps if I left the fruit on my tree long enough, its rind would become sweetish too but it didn't. In fact, it is horrible. I can't really describe the taste but it is bitter and kerosene-like. I must be doing something wrong. My plant is still potted but so is the mother plant at Eisenhut.. Anyways, here are some pics of the fruit from my tree:

It was seedless once again.. Although the rind is horrible I am still quite satisfied. It looks like a useable lemon juice source for my climate. The pulp is acid like described above, the albedo has no flavour (but also no bitterness). Here's hoping it becomes as brilliant as the mother plant in the future.. I will certainly contact the nursery and inquire about how they actually care for theirs.

I have acquired some seeds from ichangensis fruit and as the seedlings grow, I notice some don't look Ichang, but leaves more rounded without large petiole; maybe like Ilya said, the ichangensis is zygotic and some of my seedlings will be different from mother plant. Maybe this is why Florian's plant makes different fruit from his mother plant.

I have an Ichang Papeda IVIA in my Viennese garden (7b/8a Austria) growing on its own roots. It is now five years in ground and never got damaged in winter. Last year it had to take a whole month of freezing temperatures. Ultimate low was -12°C. No protection at all. The offspring of 2017 is totally without spines that's why I hope it will flower the first time this year. A second plant in pot has bloomed in last summer. They come from seed I've got from Bernhard Voss.

Ichangensis is not true from seeds, so I suppose your plants are different from mature IVIA sold by European nurseries. IVIA has in its collection two different ichangensis: IVIA-358 with big flowers and IVIA-235 with small flowers. It is IVIA-358 that gives almost seedless fruits of rather good quality.